Author Archives: Mike Martin

Here’s something that you don’t see every day! Thanks to a piece of old negative I was able to take this photo quite safely. The birds didn’t quite stop chirping but it certainly went cold.

Below are links to pages containing personal reflections about a number of issues related to technology education, students research study etc. I have put a brief explanation here but they are also on separate pages to make them easier to … Continue reading →

Ever witnessed KS2 children struggling with crocodile clips, bulb holders and bulbs? Apart from matching the right bulb to the batteries they do take up quite a bit of space. Curiously I have not seen many primary schools using LEDs … Continue reading →

For those of us getting to grips with research methodology (could be a life’s work!) this journal presents some useful papers. As they say in their own words: The International Journal of Qualitative Methods is a peer reviewed journal published … Continue reading →

Interesting video on the effects of mobile technology. I particularly like the phrase ‘smart phones and stupid people’. Worth a look to reflect on the negative anti-social effects of our supposed social technology. http://blog.petflow.com/a-video-everyone-needs-to-see/#4e1OEvEwzbgthBpl.01

Computing at School (CAS) have produced a most excellent guide for those involved in getting to grips with the Computing curriculum in primary schools. Here it is for you to download – just click on the link: CAS Primary Computing

Nothing new… Why is there all this hype about coding? Anyone would think that teaching children to control technology (including computers) was new – it is not! Just checkout Mindstorms by Semour Papert from 1980 which provides a rationale for, … Continue reading →

This morning I delivered my first seminar at the University of Waikato in New Zealand. Although the university is essentially on it’s summer break there were still 25 lecturers to discuss my presentation education in England: All change… I was … Continue reading →

Looking an an empty washing up powder box what do you see – waste? something to be recycled? Or do you see good quality corrugated cardboard that should be stored for another use? Primary schools have historically been great places … Continue reading →

A simple equation to represent a whole subject? Sometimes the simplest of ideas can be the most powerful. Although a simplification we can consider: Design and Technology = (Skills + Knowledge) x Values With this simple theory our personal construct … Continue reading →